Undercover Blues
by Sheller2
Summary: This is a silly little story that takes place sometime around Season 4. Actually the timing isn't that important.
1. Chapter 1

"Walter, I DON"T think this will work. I think there will be too many people out there who know us," Ruby complained.

"Relax, Ruby. It'll work out just fine. You said yourself that you hardly ever go to Sheridan anymore," Walt replied.

"Yes, but I'm too young for that place," Ruby exclaimed.

"I know," Walt responded, giving careful thought to his next words. "But you're the closest in age. Clearly no one else here is a candidate for this."

"But…Walter!" Ruby pleaded.

Walt used one of his interview strategies. To signal an end to the discussion Walt got up from his chair and walked around his desk to stand beside Ruby. He put his arm around her and did his best to make her feel guilty.

"Ruby, please. You know I wouldn't normally pressure you in this way. But there have been all these thefts from the Sheridan Seniors' Villa. It's gotten out of control for them, and you know I owe the Sheriff there a big favour for all the help he gave us last fall when I was laid up." Walt thought back to that unpleasant month last fall when he had gotten pneumonia and was laid up at home.

Sheriff Dalton had covered a fair bit of the administrative chores, helping Ruby with the dreadful quarterly reports and also the budget projections for the new mayor. Thankfully idiot Sawyer was long gone. It had taken the new mayor some time to become oriented to some ASD procedures. Walt had spent almost a week in the hospital and then was forced to spend two weeks at home recuperating. Vic had been a big help, but he had also needed someone at Dalton's level to fill in with some of the tasks.

"I know, Walter, but…" Ruby had run out of excuses.

"It's ok, it won't be for long. Maybe a week, tops," Walt said. "We'll get you signed in and then you can snoop around, and help us catch the thief. There're worried that things might escalate from petty theft of watches and cameras to theft of drugs."

"When does my sentence begin? I'll need a few days to do some cooking for Bill. You know he'll starve without me," Ruby said with a sigh.

"How about next Monday? I'll set everything up with Dalton. He said his nephew could come and pick you up, so no one recognizes any of us at the home," Walt concluded.

The rest of the week passed quickly for Ruby, who scurried around the office, making arrangements and leaving a lot of post-it notes for the group to follow while she was away. She also scurried around at home, making casseroles and doing laundry for her husband Bill, who was self-declared as helpless without her. She secretly knew that Bill was quite capable on his own, but he played up the helpless role, she guessed, to show his love for her. Or at least his love for her cooking.

At the appointed hour on the following Monday morning, Sheriff Dalton's nephew Jeremy picked Ruby up and drove her to the Seniors' Villa in Sheridan.


	2. Chapter 2

Last week, Walt had sat down with Ruby one morning to review her role. She was to take on the persona of 'Doreen', originally from Greybull, over in Whitlaw county. Greybull was close enough to Durant for Ruby to be familiar with it, but just far enough away for people in Sheridan to be unfamiliar with her back story. After all, Walt thought to himself a bit sadly, hopefully these people at the old folks home won't have their memories intact and won't remember if they ever met Ruby before or that she worked at the ASD. Ruby was to settle into the home quickly, with her meagre possessions and then immediately begin scoping out who the thief might be. Dalton and Walt both had their theories – Dalton thought it was a nurse's aide and Walt thought it was possibly one of the cooks.

Jeremy left Ruby/Doreen to unpack her clothes, a handful of romance novels (Vic's suggestion) and a couple of framed photos of her 'nephew' Ferg. One of the nursing home staff came by to discuss how the laundry service worked. She also gave Ruby/Doreen the activity sheet for that month and mentioned the time for dinner that night.

While the staff member went back to the front desk for a moment to retrieve some additional paperwork for her, Ruby sat on the edge of the tiny bed and looked at the activity sheet. She was dismayed to be looking at what her future activities might be, either as Doreen, or in her own old age. Bridge Club on Mondays, jigsaw puzzle competition on Tuesdays, sing-along on Wednesdays, Woodworking on Thursdays, with the highlight of the week being French Fry Fridays. What the heck is that, she wondered about the last one.

To Ruby's dismay, she was given a flexible fridge magnet, shaped like a poodle. Since Ruby was now residing in the minimally assisted section of the villa, she would only be tapping into a few services, and would largely be coming and going as she pleased. Each resident in her section had been instructed to put the magnet on the white board outside the door, by 10 am daily, to signal to staff that everything was ok. Protocol called for staff to enter any rooms without the posted magnet to check on the resident's welfare. To herself, Ruby renamed the device the "I'm not dead" magnet. She vowed to discuss her final wishes with her husband and dearly hoped they would be able to live out their days together and in their own home. Then she vowed to give Walter a very hard time for giving her this unpleasant assignment.

She decided to wander through the complex to get the lay of the land and look for suspicious characters. She checked herself in the mirror, not liking what she saw. Walt had suggested that she 'let herself go' a bit for the role. This went against her grain because she had always prided herself on her appearance. She hated the oversized purple cardigan that Walt had found for her at the thrift shop. When she first saw it, she commented on what looked like food stains on the front. "It's perfect, Ruby," Walt said. "It will make you look like you are a bit vulnerable. So maybe the creep will try to steal something from you," he said hopefully, hating how he sounded. Ruby had always been like a mother figure to him and now he felt like he was really taking advantage of her kindness and their friendship. Plus he hated the thought of Ruby being vulnerable to a thief or anyone else who could do her harm while she was some distance away.

The grey wig and oversized eyeglasses were hideous. It seemed to Ruby as though Walt had gone out of his way to make her feel as uncomfortable as possible. The fuzzy slippers were also beyond her capacity to bear. Ruby dreaded being seen by Ferg and Vic, who would be coming to visit their 'auntie' Doreen in the next couple of days.

She adjusted her wig which always seemed to be crooked, and then wandered down the hall, looking into the combined library and games room. A couple of the tables contained jigsaw puzzles in progress, but unattended. Several people were playing cards. Classical music was quietly playing in the background.

Ruby nodded hello to a couple of elderly women near the door, and then she tottered further down the hall, stopping briefly to say hello to the clerk at the front desk. Suzie had been friendly and helpful when Ruby had checked into the facility. The same person, a 30-something woman, name unknown, was still sitting at a computer desk behind Suzie, looking decidedly unfriendly. Ruby made a mental note to let Walt know of this person.

Beyond the front desk was a large dining room, with an adjacent kitchen. Since it was only 2 pm, no one was in the dining room. At the end of the hallway was a laundry room. Ruby poked her head in the room and was startled to see an aide going through the pockets of a pair of trousers. He looked startled. He scowled at her and then quickly dropped the pants into the nearby laundry basket. "Excuse me, can you tell me where I might get some stamps?" Ruby asked.

"Um…" the young man said. "You can get some at the front desk. If they don't have any, you can put in a request and someone will pick some up for you at cost," he said, trying to look helpful. "Thank-you, dear," Ruby said with a smile. She moved on. Around the corner, she reached into her cardigan pocket and pulled out a small notepad to make some notes about her first two suspects.


	3. Chapter 3

Back in her room, Ruby decided to call Walt and give him an update. He picked up the phone on the second ring and after recognizing Ruby's voice said in a silly voice which he immediately regretted, "Hello Auntie Doreen."

"Walter, I don't want to end up in a place like this. It's very sad," Ruby snapped.

"I'm sorry, Ruby. I know this assignment isn't fun for you. And I really am sorry about the cardigan. Seriously, how is it going?" Walt asked.

"Sorry Walter. I didn't really mean to snap at you like that. It's not that bad really. The people are nice. I can't comment on the food yet. It's just that I don't feel old enough to be here, and I definitely don't want this in my future," Ruby added.

"I get it. Hey, have you seen anything suspicious yet?" Walt asked.

"Actually, yes I have," Ruby exclaimed. She explained her thoughts about the grumpy person at the front desk. And then she commented on finding the man in the laundry room, going through the pants pocket. She described the time and location and the man's general appearance. "He seemed alarmed that I saw him."

"Ruby, is there any way that you could find a way to identify the clothing or the laundry basket? Maybe if you could get a name, we could compare that to the list we have of the people who have reported that they've been robbed."

"Ok, Walt. I'll see what I can find out. I wonder if we should set something up as a trap?" Ruby offered.

Walt smiled, pleased with Ruby's idea. He'd already thought of laying a trap. "That's an excellent idea, Ruby. Do you have that watch I got for you at the pawn shop?"

"Yes, I was thinking I could accidentally leave it in my hoodie, headed to the laundry room" she replied.

"You have a hoodie?" Walt asked without thinking how it sounded.

"Yes, Walter. Everyone's wearing hoodies these days. Even old people," Ruby laughed.

Walt laughed back, glad that Ruby was laughing too. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by that. Your idea about a trap is great. But how will you know who took the watch if it disappears?"

"Well, I was thinking about that too. Were you able to get that warrant for the hidden surveillance cameras that Ferg wanted to put together?" Ruby asked.

"Jeez, I forgot about that," Walt replied. "I'll check with Ferg right now. He just got back from a call. Wasn't he going to come and visit you tomorrow? Maybe he could bring the cameras with him then."

"Yes, sounds good. He said it was a tiny camera that wouldn't be detected. But how does it work with the Administrator? Will you set that up, to get permission or whatever?" 

"Yup. Maybe Vic or Ferg have the warrant already. I can phone the Administrator to let him know we have permission and then somehow one of them can install the camera – maybe at night when the staff have gone home and some of those rooms are locked. How many did we discuss again?"

"I think it was 3," Ruby offered. "One for the laundry room, one in the dish room and one in the games room."

"Gee Ruby, for someone of a certain age, you're already way ahead of me in this case," Walt said with a chuckle.

"Was that meant to be a compliment, Walter?"

"Yup."

"Ok, I'll accept. Walt...I'll talk to you later. And I'll see Ferg tomorrow, I guess."

"Ok, Ruby. Take care. I'm not sure whether I'll come and visit you – I might be recognized."

"Well, you could always wear a disguise, like an ugly old cardigan and a wig," chuckled Ruby.

"Sorry about the clothes. I somehow thought that a cardigan would be useful for Kleenex and peppermints and stuff like that, like my grandma used to always carry with her."

"Walter, I don't think I'm old enough to be your grandma. But thanks, dear. Talk to you later," Ruby said.


	4. Chapter 4

After completing the phone call with Ruby, Walt went looking. He found Ferg sitting at his big person's desk opposite Vic's reviewing the warrant he had just picked up at the courthouse. It looked like the surveillance cameras would be really helpful for this case and they had the approval they were looking for.

Walt sat at Vic's desk opposite Ferg, which was not a regular occurrence. Because it was not a typical thing, it sometimes gave them a different perspective on things. The two discussed the parameters of the warrant. Walt explained the limitations and how careful they had to be in following it strictly. There were specific rules regarding how, when and where the footage was to be captured, who could view the footage, how the footage was to be stored after the fact, and also the subsequent documentation of any potential crimes captured by the cameras.

Ferg's attention was keenly focused on Walt's instruction. Walt was always impressed by how eager Ferg was to learn new things. Walt sensed that it was because Ferg really liked to learn new things, but more importantly, because he was eager to be a better deputy. Ferg was always asking about procedures and the law. Frequently he asked for feedback from Walt regarding his performance on the job. And at times, Ferg was given a bit of leeway to question a decision Walt had made, regarding an arrest or a particular strategy that may have been utilized with a case. It gave Ferg courage to question Walt s decisions, and very often, Ferg gave an opinion that was thoughtful and valued.

Then they discussed how many cameras would be used, and where they would be installed. It was decided that they would set up a discreet appointment with Ferg and the Villa Administrator, under the auspices of discussing Ferg s Aunt Doreen's care. Ferg would demonstrate how the cameras worked and how to install them. The installation would be done at night when most of the staff members had gone home and the residents were asleep. Video footage would be downloaded each morning and sent to Ferg at the ASD office.

The next morning Ferg went to visit his aunt Doreen at the home . He brought some donuts and gave her a quick hug and kiss at the entrance to her room. "How's it going, Auntie?" he asked, with a grin on his face. "Have you gotten into any trouble yet?" he whispered in her ear.

Ruby/Doreen patted him on the shoulder and said "NO, I've been a model prisoner. This place is dreadful. It's like a warehouse for old people. It makes me sad to think that I could end up like this one day."

"Sorry, Ruby", Ferg whispered. "I guess I've never given much thought to what happens to people when they age. I should talk to my mom sometime about it. Hey, do you want to play some cards? Just give me a sec, though. I want to talk to Don. We got the warrant for the surveillance cameras."

Ferg met in private, with Don, the Administrator, and they discussed the cameras, their operation and placement.

Afterwards, Ferg and his aunt Doreen enjoyed a few rousing games of rummy, accompanied by tea and donuts. Ruby won most of the games. They had to be careful not to make too much noise lest Doreen/Ruby get into trouble. Although Ferg had other duties to attend to, he felt the need to spend some quality time with Ruby and make sure she was happy enough.

"I spoke to Bill this morning, and he's doing well", Ferg said. "Walt stopped by your place last night to make sure he was ok and had enough food", Ferg offered hopefully. He didn't want Ruby to worry about Bill. "That's nice of Walt, Ferg. But Walter will be in hot water with me for some time you know, for giving me this assignment and making me wear this ugly wig and cardigan. It was also nice of you, Ferg, to not LAUGH at me", Ruby added with a grin.

"Wouldn't dare laugh at you, Ruby", Ferg laughed in return. "I want to get paid on time this month. Plus I think you look good in purple", he added for good measure.

As Ferg's visit was winding down, he and Ruby discussed other likely scenarios for the culprit. Walt had presented a theory that maybe it was someone in the kitchen or dish room. A resident may have left valuables at the dinner table, like a change purse or bracelet. It was also possible that someone who was a server, cook or dish washer, might enter an unlocked room during mealtime when most people were in the dining room. It was also an option for a resident to request that a meal be delivered to a room on occasion. Maybe a server might pick up a small item of value, when a meal was dropped off.

Later that day, Ruby put her watch in her hoodie pocket and then stuffed it into the basket just inside her door, ready for her floor's laundry day, Wednesday morning.

That night's dinner for Ruby was uninspiring. She found the food to be slightly overcooked and bland. The complex was generally kept too warm for Ruby's liking. She preferred an open window with lots of fresh air. She missed her husband and her cat. She even missed Walt a little bit, although probably would not admit it. She decided to start informal conversations with people she met in the dining room. Maybe some of them would give clues about the thefts.

Late morning the next day, after Ferg returned from responding to a gas 'n dash at the local Sinclair station, he checked his email for any camera footage. He was pleased to open up the file and start a review of the footage from the old folks' home. "Hey, Walt", said Ferg, knocking at Walt's door. "I got the footage from yesterday."

Walt, a little excited, looked at the laptop over Ferg's shoulder. Unfortunately, all the footage revealed was one of the staff members appearing to sneak her own laundry into a washing machine. Although the clothing revealed nothing, it was clear that the staff member was doing something wrong by the way she furtively moved her head back and forth between the washing machine and the doorway, as though trying to avoid being caught.

"That's sad, isn't it" ? said Ferg.

"I don't think they are very well paid," said Walt, shaking his head.

"Do we have to report this"? asked Ferg.

"No", said Walt. "But I think Don's probably already seen the footage, Ferg." Walt made a mental note to talk to Don about this issue. Maybe Walt could make a plea for this transgression to be overlooked. He might be able to make the case that the footage was to be specifically viewed to catch a thief and nothing else.

There was nothing in the footage that showed any kind of theft from the laundry room. The crummy pawn shop watch was returned to Doreen the next day, along with her hoodie and towels. There was also a note that said "I found your watch."

So, for the time being, the laundry room was not seen as the place where the thief might be caught.

Ruby continued on her quest to sleuth out the culprit. She was a bit puzzled by a lack of clues, but vowed to try harder as an amateur sleuth. After all, she had several decades of experience at the ASD and had picked up a few tricks along the way.

She went to sleep that night, dreaming of cracking the case wide open. She was also looking forward to a visit from her niece Victoria.


	5. Chapter 5

The morning passed slowly. Ruby, being a diligent detective, had already roamed about the complex several times, looking for clues and suspicious characters. She carried a stained tea towel with her, and had her small digital camera hidden in the front pocket of her hoodie, ready for action. She lingered in the laundry room, pretending to look for some spot cleaner for her tea towel. She opened cupboards and checked lint traps for clues. She heard voices in the hallway and leaned near the doorway to listen in. Although nothing viable revealed itself, she had filled quite a few pages in her little notebook with notes and theories, eager to discuss these with Vic.

Ruby was feeling a bit lonely and wished that Vic's visit would come sooner. Ruby was also worried. Another theft occurred while she was in residence. A very elderly gentleman experiencing dementia appeared to have lost his wallet. A thorough search was launched with no results. Since the man seldom left the residence and his wallet was typically only stored in his night stand drawer, the only conclusion that anyone could make, was that the wallet had been stolen.

Vic finally came to see her auntie. Ruby walked her around the complex, giving her a tour of the facilities. They encountered a number of residents along the way. "Holy shit, Ruby. This place is full of old farts," Vic exclaimed in a rather loud voice. Then she saw Ruby scowl at her. "Oops," Vic said in response, hoping she hadn't hurt anyone's feelings. "Had better use my inside voice," Vic said in apology to Ruby.

"Vic, please. Remember that I have to live with these people," Ruby said, NOT amused by Vic's coarse language. Ruby wasn't truly mad at Vic, rather she felt that Vic should remember to behave as a professional and a public servant, even if she was pretending to be Ruby's niece and not a cop.

They wandered back to Ruby's room. Since they had privacy and were under no real time pressure, Vic and her Aunt Doreen/Ruby had a heart-to-heart discussion about aging. Vic was a bit surprised to learn that Ruby was 66 and that sadly, Alzheimer's disease had made an appearance in her family tree. Ruby was a bit worried about that. Vic was saddened at the thought that one day Ruby would retire from the ASD.

Vic, a bit ashamed of herself, admitted to Ruby that she didn't feel particularly close to her parents, although she had felt a closeness with her mom for a time before she left Philly. Although Vic felt that Sean was a nice man and had a reasonably successful career, she felt that her parents did not approve of her marriage. And they had certainly not been pleased by her recent divorce. Her dad had always felt distant, as though his interests were with his police brethren rather than with his own family. He had strayed twice from his wife when Vic and her brothers were in their teens. Vic's mom never forgave him for that, and yet she had remained married to him. Vic suspected her mom may have had an affair of her own once, but it was never discussed. Thus Vic had developed a somewhat skewed vision of marriage. She was never able to figure out why her dad was unfaithful, nor why her mom stayed with him. She was privately a bit fearful that her failed marriage with Sean was, in part, a result of her upbringing and her parents' influence.

Vic vowed to make more of an effort to communicate with her folks, her mom in particular. As well, she made a mental note to be a little more supportive of Ruby and Bill, in case they needed anything as they aged. Sure, they had family nearby, but Vic had grown very fond of Ruby, who was like a second mother to her. It would be nice to be more helpful. Gradually Vic sensed that she was putting down roots in Wyoming and it was beginning to feel good. In a number of ways, she felt closer to the folks she met through her work at the ASD, than she did with her own family back in Philadelphia.

The conversation about family wound down and they began to chat about the recent crimes. Vic wanted to see the man's room and to try and interview him about the missing wallet, but it seemed risky. She didn't want to blow her cover. It still had to be determined whether the wallet was really stolen, or whether it been misplaced. Maybe Vic could coach Ruby in interviewing techniques. Or at least offer some help with a line of questioning.

"Ruby, could you find a way to ask him where he normally kept his wallet? Maybe you could ask him for advice for yourself, like where's a good place for me to lock up my valuables," Vic offered. "Does the fellow have any family? Maybe a son or daughter was keeping the wallet safe with them off site," Vic speculated. "Could you ask if anything else was missing from his room, like a camera or cel phone?"

"Sure, Vic. I'll find a way to ask about that. I think I sat near the fellow at dinner last night and we exchanged a few pleasantries. So shouldn't be that difficult to strike up a conversation with him."

Although it seemed a bit bold, Ruby asked Vic if she thought that she could be trained and authorized to take fingerprints, starting with the laundry room. Vic was amused by the thought – she pictured Ruby holding a magnifying glass, like Sherlock Holmes. Vic thought that it may not be possible, but she said she could check with Walt. Vic was totally impressed when Ruby showed her the meticulous notes she had been keeping about her observations at the facility.

A little later on, when Ruby stepped out for a few minutes to have her blood pressure checked at the drop-in clinic, Vic thought she would wander around a bit. Ruby didn't have high blood pressure, but they both thought it would be another opportunity for Ruby to snoop around the facility. As Vic walked past the front desk towards the dining room, she heard an outbreak of loud voices coming from further down the hall. Her heart raced as she walked quickly towards the area where the noise was coming from. It sounded like a heated argument.

All of a sudden, Vic was tackled and violently pushed into the wall. She hit her shoulder and the side of her face on the railing that was fastened to the wall. She was shocked at the force behind the tackle. The effect had been amplified because Vic had been caught off guard. She had no time to plant her feet or put her hand out to stop her momentum. She huddled there for a moment, crouched on her knees, in pain. "Holy Hannah," she thought. "At an old folks' home, no less. These people are all a hundred years older than me," she thought.

She felt a warm hand on her back and a gentle voice reassuring her, "Vic, dear, are you alright." It was Ruby/Aunt Doreen to the rescue.

After a moment, Vic managed to catch her breath. "I think so," she gasped, feeling pain on her left side where she was tackled, as well as pain on her right side from hitting the wall. "I didn't even see who it was."

Ruby was entering the hallway when Vic was attacked. All Ruby had managed to see was the back end of a tall man, moving quickly down the hallway, past Vic. He appeared to be wearing a brown cardigan, and was heading for the stairwell at the end of the hallway. Although Ruby didn't see his face, she somehow sensed that he was much younger than any of the residents.

Thankfully, Don the Administrator had responded quickly to the commotion. He was horrified to see an injured Vic on the floor. He had not been introduced to her yet, but had speculated that she was one of Walt's deputies. He asked if Vic felt well enough to move. She leaned on his outstretched arm, and rose gingerly. "My name is Don. Are you alright?" he asked with concern in his voice. Vic rubbed her bruised shoulder, while Ruby looked at her forehead and face.

"Don, this is Victoria, my niece. She works for my friend Walter," Ruby explained, winking at Don, who immediately understood the context.

"Victoria, I'm so sorry. Can I take you to our nurse's station?"

"No need, thanks Don." Vic declined the offer. "I'm ok, just a little bruised. It happened so fast."

"Vic, dear. Let's go to my room and get you some ice," Ruby suggested, now quite worried about Vic.

"I'll get a couple of ice packs and will join you ladies in a flash," said Don.

Vic walked down the hallway, with Ruby's arm around her. Vic was touched by Ruby's loving concern. "I'm ok, really, Ruby, just have a bruise or two. I wonder what the hell that was all about?" she said, referring to Don's odd behaviour.

In the privacy of Ruby's room, Vic pulled her arm out of her shirt to let Ruby take a look at her right shoulder. A purple bruise was forming on her upper arm. An angry looking purple welt was rising on the right side of her face, below her eye.

"Ouch, that hurts." Vic winced at Ruby's ministrations, but appreciated the concern.

"Vic, we should really call Walt about this," Ruby said. "I wonder if it's some kind of warning. Could it be that someone thinks we are getting close to the thief?"

Vic marvelled at Ruby's deductive processes. "Yeah, the thought had occurred to me," whispered Vic with a slight smile on her face. They had left Ruby's door open and they were speaking quietly because they both knew that Don would be coming soon. Vic rubbed her sore shoulder.

Just then, Don appeared at the door with two small plastic ice packs. They were the kind typically found in better quality first aid kits. Small and flexible, they were effective at reducing swelling and pain. Don squeezed the packs until the chemicals inside mixed together and created the freezing effect.

Ruby eased Vic onto the small couch and made her sit still. Ruby held one of the ice packs on Vic's shoulder while Vic applied the other one to her face. "To be safe, don't keep the ice on for more than ten minutes and then take a break. You actually might want to put the ice pack in a cloth or sock to protect your skin. Maybe go through one or two cycles of icing, but no more," instructed Don. "Take a break from the ice and then you can reapply more later on today."

Vic assured Don that she would be ok. She was no stranger to injuries on the job, or the proper application of ice packs. "Of course, Don, I have to report this to Walt. He'll want to see any video footage you might have." Vic saw a strange expression flash across Don's face as she spoke. She wondered what THAT meant.

Vic offered none of her private theories or comments to Don. "Thanks, Don. I'll be ok. My auntie here will attend to me and I'll be heading out soon. Thanks for your help."

Don headed back to his office, presumably to look at the video footage and to make an incident report. Once Don was out of ear shot, Ruby closed and locked her door.

Vic lay back on the couch and closed her eyes for a moment. Ruby took the ice pack from Vic and sat there beside her, worried. Ruby kept her hand on Vic's leg the whole time. "Do you want an aspirin, honey? Or a shot of whiskey?" Ruby asked. Vic laughed and said "BOTH!" Vic wondered how much of a private booze stash Ruby had on hand. "Ruby, I'm ok, really. Just a bit sore. And surprised. You noticed that Don was behaving a bit strangely didn't you?"

"Yup. I wonder if we'll really be able to view any video footage he has," Ruby speculated. She squinted her eyes a bit, obviously mulling over her observations, which almost made Vic laugh. She thought with admiration, that Ruby may be an unfulfilled detective. They continued to speculate about Don, not sure whether he was acting a bit strangely because Vic had been attacked at his facility, or whether it was because he may have something to hide about the recent thefts. Or the attack.

Ruby couldn't wait any longer. Vic, feeling a tiny bit smothered by Ruby's constant fussing, felt the need to retreat for a moment of privacy. While Vic was in hiding in the bathroom, Ruby called Walt and informed him of the attack on Vic. She could tell by Walt's rapid breathing over the phone, that he was upset. He demanded to speak to Vic. "Just a sec, she's in the bathroom. Vic, honey, Walt wants to speak to you," Ruby said through the bathroom door.

Vic opened the door and reached for the phone which Ruby held in her outstretched hand. "Um…hi Walt."

"Vic, are you ok," Walt practically shouted into the phone. "Ruby told me that you'd been attacked. Do you want me to come over there and pick you up? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Vic rolled her eyes, a little annoyed, but of course Walt couldn't see that through the phone. "I'm ok, Walt. Really, it's nothing but a couple of bruises. I'll be fine. Here's Ruby again." Vic ended the phone call. She didn't really want to chat with Walt. She just wanted to be left alone now. She had had enough. She loved the fact that these people really cared about her, but she was also very independent and now wanted to retreat to nurse her wounds by herself.

Ruby frowned at Vic, puzzled by her behaviour. She could see Vic reaching for her jacket, making preparations to leave. "Walter, I'll call you back in a few minutes. Looks like Vic's ready to head home."

Vic gave Ruby a hug goodbye and made a rather painful drive back to Durant. On the way home, she phoned Ferg to ask him to meet her down on the street where they normally parked their vehicles. She asked him to bring the keys to her truck. Back in Durant, Vic and Ferg exchanged Vic's truck key for Ferg's Trans Am key. Ferg was shocked at the bruise on Vic's face. With a gentleness that surprised Vic, Ferg caressed her face with a look of concern. He was not sure why Vic had made him swear that he would NOT say anything to Walt about Vic's return home to Durant.

"It's ok, Ferg. I just want to go home. Ruby made a big fuss over me back there. I'm fine." She thanked Ferg and dragged herself home. "I'll send you a text later, ok. Don't worry. A couple of beer and I'll be fine." She laughed aloud, although didn't fool Ferg by that. He could tell she was really hurting, but sort of understood her need to go into hiding.


	6. Chapter 6

The two didn't know it, but Walt had heard Ferg leave the office and bound down the back stairs. Walt, being quite concerned about Vic, walked over to the window by her desk, and looked out to the town square below. He immediately noticed Vic across the street, exchanging car keys with Ferg. Walt felt annoyed at being left out of the transaction.

Walt rushed through the last of his administrative chores and made his way to Vic's place. He pounded on the door. Vic was not surprised to see that it was Walt making all that noise. "Geez, Walt. Could you make any more noise?"

"Vic," Walt said. "I need to see you. I need to know that you're ok." He didn't wait to be invited inside. "Come in then," Vic said to Walt, who had already made his way inside her house. He was acting very strangely. Vic didn't feel like getting into a big discussion with him, but she soon realized how upset he was. Maybe she was being unfair about it – after all, she had been injured on the job and he was her boss…. maybe, she thought, she should just let it play out? So, a very stubborn Vic allowed a very stubborn and upset Walt to get just a little bit closer. She invited Walt to sit on the couch and offered him a beer. He seemed very wound up about things.

"Vic, why were you avoiding me earlier?" Walt demanded, frustrated but trying to keep aggression out of his tone of voice.

Vic tried to stifle a glare at him. She walked over to the fridge and grabbed a couple of beer. "Here," she said, "Sit." She had already downed one herself and started guzzling the second one. Her hand shook a little bit. Walt took it all in.

"Vic," Walt said gently, placing one of his VERY LARGE hands on top of hers. "You're shaking," he whispered, seeing that Vic was also upset. He knew she would want some time to gather her thoughts. He sat close to her on the couch and then leaned into her just a bit, letting her know he was there. She squirmed slightly when he brushed up against her left side, but didn't move away. He wasn't sure where she was sore because she had revealed no details to him.

"Vic", he said softly. "Where are you hurt? Let me see."

Vic knew that he wouldn't let up, so she allowed him to fuss a bit. "Mostly the right side, where I hit the railing and wall." She pulled the neck of her t-shirt down to reveal the bruise on her right shoulder. Walt gently traced his forefinger along the bruise. "Did you ice it?" he asked. He then looked at the bruises on her face and quizzed her briefly looking for any signs of a concussion. They agreed that it seemed unlikely that she was concussed.

"Yeah. I've had a few rounds with the ice packs. And I just took a couple of Advil. With the beer, I'll be feeling no pain soon enough."

"Vic. That's not a good idea. You know that."

"Look Walt. I've had a really shitty afternoon ok. I didn't accomplish what I wanted to with Ruby. And I have no idea who tackled me or why. Am gonna be really pissed if it was a 90 year old man in a diaper," Vic said with a sigh. "And now Ruby's there all alone."

"Vic, you should have something to eat. Can we get a pizza? I'm worried about Ruby too."

The pair agreed and ordered a pizza to go with the beer and Advil.

The pizza came soon enough, and they devoured it in silence, each having another beer. Walt could see that Vic was starting to relax, although she was still a bit uncomfortable. He decided to let her know that he was a little puzzled and bothered by being left out of the little interaction with Ferg back at the station. He thought that Vic would have stopped by the station, at least to check in, and say hello.

Vic explained that she was embarrassed by the whole thing. Being a police officer and then assaulted at an old folks' home wasn't exactly something to brag about. Although Vic had appreciated Ruby's fussing and first aid, it was a bit much and made her feel a bit like a child with a skinned knee. Vic's thoughts about her own injuries had soon morphed into concern for Ruby's safety. Ruby, the ASD's ever present and capable receptionist had never been exposed to hand-to-hand combat. Vic shuddered at the thought of Ruby being vulnerable and ill-prepared, should anyone try to harm her. The two discussed whether they should pull Ruby out of the home and end her assignment there.

Vic, becoming more relaxed, allowed her thoughts to drift back to Walt. She could see by his expression that his concern for her went beyond that of a caring boss.

Walt, seeing what might be a receptive look on Vic's face, decided to take a chance and level with her.

"Vic. This isn't easy for me to say, but I care about you. As a boss, of course, but much more than that. I panicked when Ruby told me that you'd been hurt," he confessed. "I just had to come and see you. And I got a bit upset that you didn't come inside the station to see me."

Vic put her hand on his forearm. She communicated with him through that, even though they exchanged no words. They sat like that for a while, and then Vic, in turn, admitted that she had feelings for Walt. He reached for Vic and held her in his arms. She relaxed even more. They remained there, enjoying the physical contact and warmth, for a long time.

Eventually, Walt felt the need to switch modes, from the personal back to the professional. He mentioned that he put in a call to Don before he left the office. All he got, though, were rather vague comments from Don, who seemed disinterested or deceptive to Walt. Vic too, expressed the suspicions that both Ruby and she had felt after the attack. They had both felt that Don may not be forthcoming with any video footage of the attack.

After the discussion about Don, Vic remembered that she promised to check in with Ruby that night. She was slouched on the sofa, leaning comfortably against Walt, who was trying his best not to fall asleep. He'd had a long stressful day, then had been worried about Vic, and then his stomach was full of beer and pizza. He was getting drowsy. Vic called Ruby, and held her phone out in front of her, so both she and Walt could listen to the conversation.

"Hey, Ruby."

"Hi Vic. How are you doing honey? I've been worried about you," Ruby asked.

"Um…ok…I'm a little sore. Walt's here," Vic replied.

"Hello Walter."

"Hi Ruby."

"Walter, did you make sure that Vic was ok?" Ruby asked, knowing full well that he would have already done that.

"Yup. Lots of bruising," Walt responded, looking at Vic, who was amusing herself by making a face at him. He resisted the urge to make a face back at her. The beer had helped lower their inhibitions.

"I'm ok, Ruby. I just had a bunch of pizza and beer, so I don't really need anything other than a good night's sleep," Vic said, closing her eyes with fatigue. "Ruby, please make sure you keep your door locked. We don't know yet who this person is, or what motivated him to attack me. We don't even know if he knew I was a cop. So please keep safe. And we also don't really know how many people have a key to your room. So maybe put a chair in front of your door, so you would at least have a little warning if someone tried to enter your room," Vic pleaded with Ruby. "And phone one of us if you are the least bit worried about something, ok?"

"Ok, dear," said Ruby. "Get some sleep now. I want to speak with Walter."

"Goodnight Ruby," said Vic as she handed her phone to Walt. Vic snuggled down on the sofa, putting her head on Walt's thigh. He held the phone in his right hand, and put his left arm on Vic's shoulder, rubbing her back. He was quietly thrilled to be this close to Vic.

"Hey Ruby. You should DEFINITELY block your door, until we figure out what's going on down there," Walt said with authority in his voice. He wanted to add that he was considering pulling Ruby out of the home, for her own safety, but he said no more.

"Ok, Walter. I'll drag the kitchen table over to block the door tonight," Ruby said with laughter. "Seriously, Walter, I hope you're going to watch over Vic tonight. I think she was really downplaying her injuries. She was tackled pretty hard on her left side, and then she smashed her right shoulder and face into the wall. I saw the bruises and they were terrible."

Walt frowned at hearing that new detail. He thought Vic was only bruised on her right side.

"Will do, Ruby. Thanks for that information. I was planning on that. I'll call you in the morning. Might come to visit you myself," added Walt. "It's getting late now, so have a good night and stay alert," Walt finished.

"Ok, goodnight Walter," Ruby added with a lilt in her voice. "Now enjoy your time with Vic," she said, knowingly teasing Walt a bit. She knew they were a little sweet on each other.

"Um…Ruby…uh…" Walt fumbled with his words. He knew exactly what Ruby meant by her words, but would not admit it to anyone. That made him squirm a little bit.

"Bye Walt." Ruby ended the call with her laughter being the last thing Walt heard. She didn't see the blush rising on his face at her last comment.

After the phone call ended, Walt wanted to see all of Vic's bruises. He knew that she had not fallen into a deep sleep yet and it wouldn't really be disturbing her to ask. He asked to see her right side again. She allowed him to gently pull back the collar of her t-shirt, revealing a livid bluish-purple bruise on her right shoulder. Walt gasped at the size of it. "That must really be sore, Vic," he said in a whisper, ever so softly running a finger along the length of the bruise. "Can I get you a cold cloth or some ice?"

"Nah, I'm ok. I just want to get some sleep," Vic replied, yawning.

Walt also wanted to see her left side. He gave her a hard time about not telling him about that. Vic felt a twinge of annoyance. She pointed out that on many occasions, he had come back to the office injured and covered in blood and wouldn't allow anyone to help him or apply a bandaid. So how could he possibly hold her to a standard that he didn't hold himself to?

But then she saw the look on Walt's face. She relented, since he seemed really upset about it all. Since she was beginning to have a better understanding of his feelings for her, she allowed him to lift her t-shirt to see the bruising on her ribs on the left side.

"God, Vic. This is almost as bad as your shoulder. Did you see this one?" Walt asked, now getting really upset at the thought of Vic being more injured than she admitted. "No, I didn't really see that one." She walked over to the mirror near the front door and winced as she saw the bruises on her left side. "Yikes."

They chatted a bit longer, mostly about Ruby. Vic felt that Ruby should be very cautious, but would be safe enough. After all, there had been no assaults on any residents to date. But then Walt pointed out that Vic had just been assaulted. It appeared as though things were escalating. Walt was beginning to think that he should extract Ruby for her own protection.

Vic fell asleep with her head on Walt's leg. He rubbed her back for a while, mindful of where he thought she was bruised. He too fell asleep, contented to be with Vic in any way that presented itself. As the night progressed, they both turned several times in their sleep. The couch was small but they managed.

In the morning they woke up and found themselves lying together, knees bumping, limbs entwined where possible, Walt's face nuzzled down in a hollow curve of the side of Vic's neck. Both were totally relaxed and happy to be that close. Walt took a chance and gently kissed Vic's neck. She responded by turning her face towards him and gently captured his bottom lip with her mouth. The two engaged in some tentative kissing. It was simple and delicious.

Although they were enjoying themselves, Walt could see that Vic was getting uncomfortable. He asked to look again at her bruises. They had another tender moment as Vic moved her shirt to expose her shoulder. Walt gently grazed her skin with his finger and then his mouth.

They talked in whispers a bit more. Walt expressed that he felt weird, worried that Vic might have thought that he was using her situation as a way to come onto her. Vic didn't see it that way. He was concerned and had been very tender. Vic said she had felt a bit embarrassed the day before and that she was not entirely sure why Walt would have felt a need to rush over to see her just because of a few bruises. He reiterated for her that he was so worried to hear that she had been hurt. His concern became magnified because she didn't seem to want to see him. He felt that he could no longer ignore his feelings for her. He admitted again that he was a bit hurt that she didn't come in and say hi to him in the office. In turn, she said that she didn't want a fuss, particularly in the office but then admitted it was extremely nice and pleasant of him to come over. She appreciated the way he comforted her and it was very nice to wake up in his arms...if truth be told.

Walt's heart soared at Vic's little confession. He moved closer to her, knees already bumping and did his best to wrap his arms around her. It was very nice but painful for Vic. Their foreheads touched and they looked into each other's eyes for a while. They enjoyed a tender kiss. And then another, less tender and less tentative. They lay there for a while longer, breathing the same air, so comfortable in each other's protective warmth.

Eventually Walt said that he should probably get going to work. He had to get home to feed his horse and have a quick shower. With Ruby out of the office and Vic probably not going to work, he had to make an appearance at the shop and keep on top of things with Ferg. He told Vic she should take the day off.

Vic said "Well, I'd have to talk to my boss about that." She smiled.

Walt replied, "What's your boss like? I bet he's very handsome," he ventured, a small smile on his face.

"Well," said Vic. "He's very tall." She laughed.

"I bet he's really intelligent, well read," said Walt, a bigger smile on his face now.

"Well," said Vic. "He wears a hat." She laughed some more.

"I bet he's well-liked by his deputies," Walt speculated, with a bigger grin on his face.

"Well, he's got big feet and brown boots," said Vic, playfully leaning into Walt, laughing loudly.

Vic's laughter was contagious. Walt found himself joining into the laughter. He found it remarkable how easily he could laugh again, thanks to Vic. Even when she teased him, he found it funny. It made him feel light and young again. He remembered a long time ago, his mom telling him that when someone teases you, it means that they like you. He was comforted by that thought.

After they shared a good laugh, Vic concluded by saying "My boss is tall, dark and handsome, intelligent and kind. And he's well-liked by his deputies, one in particular. I think he'd understand it if I called in sick today," she said, leaning towards Walt again, planting a big wet kiss on his lips. This time she was more assertive.

"Mmm…sounds like a nice guy," Walt said, with a big smile on his face, returning the kiss. "Handsome too."

Vic gave him a quick poke with her finger. She suggested a quick breakfast for Walt. She made coffee and some toast. They shared strategies about what was going on with Don. Walt thought that back in the office he and Ferg would evaluate whatever information was forthcoming from Don. They would determine whether it seemed inclusive and valid. They would also begin a background check on Don, including looking into the financial state of the old folks' home, Don's personal finances, and they would look into the background of any of Don's relatives. And Walt would keep Vic and Ruby in the loop.

Although Walt felt like staying with Vic for the day, he knew he had to get to work. And check that Ruby was safe. He left Vic's place, vowing to return that night, if she would let him. He gave Vic a broad smile as he waved goodbye.


	7. Chapter 7

Vic, feeling tired and sore, decided to go back to bed for a while after Walt left for work. She discovered that her right wrist was swollen and sore, probably from breaking her fall as she smashed into the wall. Thankfully there had been no signs of a concussion from the attack.

Walt, also feeling tired, dragged himself to work. He felt worn out physically, but was quite happy emotionally, from spending all that time with Vic. He was relieved that her injuries were not serious and he was chuffed that she seemed to like his company. The first thing he did at work was call Ruby to see how she fared overnight.

"Hi Ruby. I hope you were ok last night. Did you block your door?" Walt asked, drinking some much needed coffee.

"Yes, Walter. Everything's fine. Don asked to see me, but I refused, pretending to be very tired. How is Vic doing? Did you see all her bruises?" Ruby asked. It wasn't meant to be a trick question.

"Um…yeah," Walt fumbled a bit, not sure whether Ruby was fishing for clues about him and Vic. Like how much of her clothing did Vic take off last night to show her bruises.

"That wasn't meant to be a trick question, you know Walter," Ruby said sincerely, reading Walt's mind, as usual.

"She's fine, Ruby," Walt said, changing the line of questioning. "Ferg just walked in. I'm going to see what kind of information Don was willing to part with. He probably doesn't realize this, but it's illegal to tamper with video footage obtained under a warrant. So, we'll catch him if he's deleted anything. Ferg will know how to check for that kind of thing. Hey, I was thinking of coming to see you today. Is that alright? Will you be home?" Walt asked. He thought he'd better check on Ruby and also put some pressure on Don.

"Yes, Walter. I'm a prisoner here, as you know. I can't leave until you grant me parole," Ruby replied with mock annoyance in her voice.

"Sorry, Ruby. I know you've made some sacrifices to take on these duties. Hey, I heard from Bill. He's doing ok. Henry saw him at the Red Pony the other night and made him a big cheeseburger to say thanks and cheer him up a bit," Walt added.

"I heard that. Bribery will get you everywhere, Walter," Ruby laughed. "Bill's doing ok. He won't starve without me. He always pretends to be helpless, but I know he's very resourceful."

"Well, thanks for what you're doing. It takes courage. I just hope you're keeping safe," Walt said with warmth in his voice. He was very fond of his Ruby.

"I'm fine, Walt. When did you want to stop by?"

"I'm not sure – maybe late morning. I have to talk to Ferg and then take care of a few things. Do you want me to call first?"

"No, you can just come when you want. Any time is good. See you soon then, Walt."

"Hey, Ruby. Do you need anything – snacks, a book?" Walt offered.

"How about a side arm?" Ruby asked.

"Um…Ruby…I don't think so. You have to take the safety course and then get certified. It takes weeks," Walt replied, not sure if Ruby was serious or not.

"I'm just kidding, Walter. You know I don't like guns," said Ruby, laughing a little, although it wasn't really that funny.

Walt got off the phone and called out for Ferg to come into his office. Ferg came quickly, carrying his cel phone and large note pad. He had a lot to report to Walt. The two had a brief chat about Vic's condition and Ruby's status. Both men cared deeply about their female colleagues, each for slightly different reasons. Ferg, since he still had his own mum, thought of Ruby like an aunt. And Vic like a sister. Ruby was like a mother figure to Walt. And as for Vic, well, Walt couldn't put his feelings for her into words just yet.

"Did you see Vic last night?" Ferg asked. "How is she doing?" Ferg did his best to maintain a look of innocence on his face. He was also a budding detective and like Ruby, had a feeling that Vic and Walt might have eyes for each other. But he would never ask directly about it. Or tease Walt about it.

"She was pretty sore last night. Lots of bruising. I slept on the couch last night and she seemed sore but ok this morning when I left," Walt said. No need to add any details about the couch or the sleeping arrangements. Walt, although wanting to keep everything private, knew in his heart that Ruby and Ferg (and probably Henry and Cady) would figure things out soon enough.

"Ruby's ok too. I'm going to see her this morning. I also want to bug Don. Put a bit of pressure on him," said Walt. "He's going to be in a heap of trouble if I find out that he messed with any of the video footage. What did you find, Ferg?" 

Ferg explained that he had to phone Don this morning to prompt him to send the video footage. Ferg looked at the email he finally received. As suspected, the footage was incomplete. It looked like about 3 minutes of footage was missing from the emailed file. "Can you find a way to confirm that, Ferg? I mean confirm that it was deleted rather than it being an error?" Walt asked.

"Yup. I can do that, but I have to see the camera's SD card in person. I can check for 'hidden files' on the card. If I can find the files, I should be able to view them. I think we should seize the camera and card altogether," Ferg suggested. Walt suggested that since he was going to the home that morning, he would confront Don and seize the camera and card. The two discussed their theories regarding the attack on Vic. Ferg hadn't had time yet to track down detailed information on Don or his family.

Later on that morning, Walt made preparations for his visit to the old folks' home. Since he didn't own any hair products, he had to resort to wetting down his hair. He changed his hairstyle by moving the part, which he had never really liked, but seemed stuck with. He also donned a fake handlebar moustache. He left to go to the home in Sheridan. At the door, Ruby was quite surprised to see Walt in what looked like a disguise. His hair looked quite different, he was sporting a large bushy moustache, and a different style of shirt. Ruby could not contain her laughter. Again, Walt was annoyed by the teasing. He thought he looked ok, quite different than the usual. By the time Walt had made it to the small kitchen table, Ruby had her cel phone out, and was snapping photos of him. "How about if I put on the kettle for some tea, Walt," Ruby remarked. She turned her back to him and fussed with the teapot and kettle. And deftly sent the photo of the 'new Walt' to Vic with a label "Walt in disguise."

With teapot in hand, Ruby apologized for laughing at Walt. They had a cup of tea and discussed the attack on Vic. Walt assured Ruby that he thought Vic was doing ok and was resting comfortable. "Ruby, how much of the guy did you see? I mean did you see his face? If I showed you a photo of him, do you think you'd recognize him?" Walt asked.

"I don't know. I think I only really saw the back of his head and body as he ran down the hall. Do you know who he is?" Ruby asked.

"I might," Walt replied. "I have a hunch that it's someone Don knows. That's what he's been hiding." Walt mentioned that he and Ferg had been able to uncover details about Don's background and family. "It could be Don's nephew, Barry. He was a casual employee here last year. And, it turns out that Vic busted Barry a while back, so maybe that's what motivated Barry to attack her, if he recognized her," Walt shuddered, thinking of Barry going after Vic like that.

Walt explained that he was able to find a photo of Barry from an arrest record of Vic's from more than a year ago. Without Don's knowledge, Walt was going to ask a few staff members to see if they recognized Barry and had seen him on the premises before. If confirmed, Walt would confront Don about it all. It was sounding like Ruby and Vic would not be credible witnesses identifying Barry, but Walt figured that Don and some employees would be able to confirm things.

After tea with Ruby, Walt canvassed a few staff members, showing them the photo of Barry. He confirmed that Barry had been returning to the home even though he had been fired and banished last year. And one of the aides confirmed that she had seen Don and Barry arguing in the office on the morning of Vic's attack.

Walt called Ferg to give him an update regarding his findings. Then Walt returned to Ruby's room to see if she might be able to make him a sandwich or snack. "Yup," he thought to himself, more teasing about the moustache. Ruby was happy to make Walt a grilled cheese sandwich and to hear about what seemed to be a break in the case. However, she was also saddened to hear about Barry's troubles and Don's attempts to hide the problems. She let Walt know that although Don seemed to be an accomplice, he also seemed to be quite compassionate. She had heard very complimentary things about Don's management of the facility during her brief stay.

Walt decided that it was time to confront Don. He walked purposefully to Don's office and with his best Sheriff's voice, he requested Don's full attention. "Don, I know you didn't send all of the video footage to Ferg. And we know about Barry. The jig is up."

Don, who had been nervously fiddling with his pen, looked like he was going to puke. The pressure to help Barry was intense, but was nothing like the pressure he felt now from Walt.

"Walt, I'm so sorry." Don knew he had to tell the truth. "I've been trying to help Barry for a long time now, but he seems to be spiralling out of control because of drugs." Don looked crushed. "He's my sister's boy and he's had a hard time. His dad ran off when he was a youngster and Barry never really did well after that. I've done my best to guide him – I even gave him a job here, but it's always the drugs. They control him. I fired him, but I think he's kept a key to the place and he's been coming back here, stealing from people to feed his habit."

Don looked at Walt and thought he saw his features soften. "Don, I understand you wanting to help Barry. But he's been stealing from these kind folks – and you saw how he attacked Vic. It's escalated to an unacceptable level. He needs help. More than you can give him. Where is he now?"

Don, realizing that Barry really did need professional help, wrote down the address where he thought Barry might be hanging out. "Walt, I'm sorry about Vic. I never saw that coming. And I'm sorry about the camera footage."

"Don, I'll need to confiscate the camera and SD card. Will, in fact, be taking all the cameras with me today," said Walt. "It's a crime to tamper with camera footage obtained under a warrant," Walt added somberly. "I need to find Barry as soon as possible. And then we'll have to speak to you - you may be facing charges."

Don looked crestfallen, but not entirely surprised. At Walt's request, Don agreed to continue to monitor the situation and report any sightings of Barry. As well, Don would report to Sheriff Dalton's office as soon as possible to face the consequences.

After his meeting with Don, Walt, feeling better about the case, headed back to the office to finish off some work. He put in one last call to Vic. He had called her a couple of times throughout the day to make sure she was alright. She mentioned that she had napped on and off through the day, feeling quite lazy. She was a bit sore, but was rather enjoying a rare day off. Without missing a beat, Walt asked if it would be alright for him to come and visit her that night. Vic was pleased to agree to that, and Walt offered to bring dinner for them both.

Walt brought cheeseburgers to Vic's for dinner. Vic could only contain herself until they were part way through their meal. She had a strange expression on her face for a while that had left Walt puzzled. Finally, mid-way through her cheeseburger, Vic let loose with raucous laughter.

"Nice moustache," she howled. "Where the hell did you get that? You look like Tom Selleck," Vic continued, roaring with laughter, almost choking on her burger.

Walt, feeling a bit put upon, replied, "I LIKE that moustache. There's nothing wrong with it. Hey, how did you find about that?" Walt demanded. Vic showed him the image on her cel phone.

"Ruby sent a picture to me and Ferg. And then I accidentally sent it on to Cady and Henry," Vic continued to laugh, thinking this was hilarious.

"Geez, Vic. I was undercover. I needed a disguise." He had a sad expression on his face at this point.

"Did you pull that out of your undercover magic kit, or what?"

Walt sighed. "I found it a while ago when I was cleaning up around my cabin. It was from a Halloween party we went to years ago," he said. Then in a very quiet voice he said, "Martha liked it."

"Oh Walt. I'm sorry. It was just so unexpected to see you with a different hair style and then a moustache on top of that." Vic was now worried that she may have taken the teasing a bit too far.

"It's ok, Vic. Don't worry. I got plenty of teasing today from Ruby. And I'm sure Cady and Henry will be lining up to bug me about it before too long," Walt said, feeling a tad sorry for himself. Sometimes he felt like he would always be the recipient of everyone's teasing. He got up from the couch and brought his dinner plate to the kitchen. He leaned on the counter by the sink for a minute, scratching his upper lip. It was still itchy from the glue that had held the moustache in place.

Vic finished her burger in two bites and followed Walt to the kitchen. She knew Walt well enough to read his body language. "I'm sorry," she said, putting her arms around his mid-section. "I took the teasing too far again. You were seriously trying to help and I rained on your parade," Vic said, honestly now feeling bad about giving Walt a hard time.

"It's ok, Vic," Walt said, liking the feeling of Vic attached to his middle. "It did look a little goofy. I just thought that I needed a different look in case anyone recognized me as Sheriff." He enveloped Vic with his arms and whispered into her neck, "Sam Elliott. Not Tom Selleck."

They nuzzled together for a few minutes until Vic, feeling sore, broke their bond apart. Walt sensed that she was feeling uncomfortable. They settled back on the couch where Vic could lean on the pillows. And maybe lean on Walt. She was eager to hear what Walt and Ferg had learned about Don.

Walt ran his hand through his hair, wanting to fiddle with the part. Vic recognized that as a sign of either fatigue or frustration, or both. "Well," said Walt. "We didn't have much to go on at first, but now we have a clearer picture of things. This afternoon, Ferg was able to find out more on Don's family. Turns out that he has a nephew named Barry who has a sketchy background. Barry's had a drug problem for some time and has a record for assault, theft…you name it. Has a pretty long rap sheet. In fact, you arrested him once. Here's his photo." Walt showed Vic the photo of Barry. Vic vaguely remembered the arrest. "Ferg's also looking into his employment records. It looks like he was a casual employee, working for Don at the old folks' home. Don fired him, but Barry made a copy of his keys and has been coming back."

"Holy shit," Vic said. "That's probably it. If he needed money for drugs, he might be prowling around the home, stealing whatever he could."

"And that's probably why he assaulted you. He recognized you from the arrest and thought you were coming to get him. He'd been arguing with Don again, asking for money. Don was trying to get him to leave, threatened to call the police and then he saw you and panicked."

"Well, Walt, I'm relieved that you've seemed to solve the case. What's left to do?" Vic asked.

Walt listed what he thought they still needed to do – find Barry, gather more evidence to build the case, document the missing video footage, interview more witnesses and take a formal statement from Vic and Ruby. It sounded like a lot, but things were coming together with the case. He would extricate Ruby from the home and both she and Vic would be safe now. Walt was relieved.

"Well, all that can wait until tomorrow, can't it?" Vic asked, laughing. There was still a lot to pull together for this case and it would take several days to complete. The biggest challenge was to locate and secure Barry, but she knew Walt could do that. She pulled him towards her on the couch and they lay there for a while. They were both exhausted. Vic knew that the couch was too small for Walt, so she suggested they sleep (yes, SLEEP she said) in her bed tonight. They weren't intimate yet, but were rapidly moving closer to that. Walt was happy to be anywhere Vic was. They curled up together and slept through the night.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, later than planned, Walt and Vic woke up. They were limbs akimbo, cozy and happy to be together in Vic's bed. Walt didn't know it, but Vic had bought the bed a few weeks before, wanting to move away from memories of Sean. She hoped that Walt would be part of her new beginning. Both had slept well and woke up feeling refreshed. Unfortunately there wasn't time to lie about. Walt had to head home again to feed 'Horse' and grab a shower. Vic followed her usual morning routine and had been at her desk for about 20 minutes before Walt came in. They exchanged discrete smiles as Walt walked into the bullpen.

"Hi Vic. How are you feeling today?" Walt asked as casually as possible. "Hey Ferg," he said, quickly turning his head towards Ferg, trying to smother the smile that was trying to break out on his face.

Vic refrained from letting out a snort. She said she was fine and mentioned that she was helping Ferg put more information together about Barry for his arrest. They had not been successful at locating Barry's current location. The address given to them by Don was not helpful at all.

"Well, guys, please keep looking. We want to get Barry into custody. He's dangerous."

For the next few hours, Walt, Vic and Ferg worked away at their own desks. Each of them was feeling the absence of Ruby. It was late in the morning when Walt received a frantic call from Don, saying that he had just spotted Barry lurking around the dumpster at the back door of the old folks' home.

Walt jumped into action hollering for Ferg to join him. Walt insisted that Vic remain at the station to monitor the radio. She was still recovering from her injuries and Walt was worried that Barry might go after her again. She was annoyed but she complied. Walt grabbed his hat and jacket and ran to the door. He shouted to Vic to warn Ruby and to get her to lock herself in her room. And to make sure that Sheriff Dalton was called – he was much closer to the home than Walt was.

Even though he drove at top speed, it still took Walt 20 minutes to reach Sheridan. He and Ferg checked the front of the building and seeing no sign of Barry or any danger, they entered the front door. It was in the lobby that Walt found a chaotic scene. Dalton had what looked like a battered and bewildered Barry in handcuffs. Barry was mumbling incoherently, "the old lady hit me – she beat me with a broom. Get me out of here."

Don was standing off to one side of the room, his arm around Ruby.

"Is everything ok here?" Walt asked gruffly of Dalton. "What happened?" Walt called out to Ruby, "Are you ok?"

Ruby nodded from across the room and said she was fine. Dalton explained that the situation was under control. Before the police had arrived, Barry had gone prowling about. As usual, he was in a drug-altered, sleep deprived state. He went looking to steal another wallet. As he looked down the hall past the front desk, he spotted Ruby. He was reminded of seeing her the other day with Vic and thus thought Ruby must also be with the Sheriff's Department. He decided to target her next.

Don, peeking out of his office doorway, had seen Barry heading down the hallway after Ruby. Walt was irritated at Don as the story was retold, wondering why Don didn't stop Barry.

Dalton continued recounting the story for Walt. Before being stopped, Barry, oblivious to anyone or anything, followed Ruby. Thankfully when she enter her room she had her wits about her. She had sensed that she was being followed. So when Barry stuck his foot inside her door, which had not closed yet, Ruby was on high alert. Ruby had been warned about the impending danger by Vic, and was ready to defend herself. She grabbed her broom from the small closet and waited until she saw enough to confirm that it was Barry entering her suite.

It WAS Barry. He entered her room and Ruby shouted for help. She swung her broom with all her might, cracking Barry across one of his shins. He howled in pain and sunk to the floor, holding his leg. Ruby, thinking that he still might attack, gave him a vicious karate chop with her dominant hand to his trapezius muscle above his collar bone. She'd been told that it was a sensitive area. Barry collapsed on Ruby's kitchen floor. He was crippled by pain in his leg and now his neck.

Ruby ran out into the hallway where she met Don. "Ruby, are you ok?" Don asked. Seeing that Ruby appeared to be ok, he sent her to the office area for her own safety.

Moments later, the Sheridan police arrived, and were sent down the hallway to collect Barry. They were cuffing Barry and starting to interview Don and other witnesses, when a very worried Walt and Ferg arrived.

Walt could see that Dalton and his deputies had the situation under control. He moved towards Ruby, who held her arms out to him. Walt enveloped his dear Ruby in a comforting bear hug. "Ruby," Walt asked again. "Are you sure you're ok? Did he hurt you?" Walt was again reminded of how tiny and vulnerable Ruby seemed to be at times.

"I'm fine, Walter. I got a couple of really good licks in with my broom," Ruby said with pride in her voice. "It's terribly sad, the state Barry is in. But he needs help. He's dangerous." Walt agreed with her.

After Barry had been taken away to jail and all seemed under control, it appeared to Walt as though their work was done. Ruby was feeling particularly pleased with herself. She was proud of her detective work, and her physical prowess. Later on, Walt had mentioned to Don that he would help him look for a drug rehab program for Barry. It would be helpful at sentencing time if Barry had already been enrolled in a program.

A short time later, Don was arrested and charged with being an accessory to Barry's crimes. Both Walt and Sheriff Dalton recommended a conditional sentence for him. Walt personally thought that Don's only real crime was being a sympathetic uncle to a drug-addicted nephew. Barry was the son of Don's sister and had grown up without a father. Don had been trying to help Barry for years. He'd been making excuses about the severity of Barry's addiction problems, which hadn't helped.

Walt and Ferg had looked deeper into the financial standing of the old folks' home. They discovered that over the past five years, Don had brought it back from the brink of financial failure. He had also reduced the fees for a few residents who were too poor to be able to afford that level of care.

Walt was greatly relieved that Ruby wasn't hurt. He was astounded that she was able to 'take down the perp' (as she put it), all by herself. He had no idea that she had any sense of how to apply a karate chop to the neck or anywhere else on the body for that matter. And the way she finished him off with her broom was amazing. He was still shaking his head over that. He laughed when she said that she'd seen it in a movie. He was also impressed by her investigative skills. Maybe she would be interested in more undercover work in the future?

Late that same day, Ruby had been 'paroled' from the home and was happily reunited with her husband Bill and cat Fuzzy Wuzzy. She declined the extra day of rest offered by Walt and was at her desk by 8 am the next day, ready for whatever might come her way.

Vic and Ferg were delighted to see Ruby at work again. She greeted them with hugs and kisses. She was glad to see that most of Vic's bruises had faded and that she appeared well. Ferg gave Ruby's bicep a gentle squeeze and said with admiration "Gee Ruby. The bad guys better stay away from you," he said with laughter.

Walt was honoured to be greeted with a warm hug from Ruby as he entered the office a short time later. With a grin on his face, he requested that everyone gather in his office for a brief meeting. With relief, pride and delight, he presented two gifts to Ruby.

The first was a colourful new hoodie in a camouflage pattern, selected carefully with advice on colour and size from Ruby's husband Bill. "Oh, Walter. It's delightful. My other one was getting very worn, you know. This is VERY nice. A very modern pattern…Maybe I can wear it when I go hunting for perps," she laughed.

"Well, Ruby. I still feel bad about making you wear that old purple cardigan. I know you didn't like it," Walt apologized.

"That thing was NASTY," Ruby said with gusto. "It's been washed and is already back at the Thrift Shop for someone else to wear," she added. "This hoodie is awesome, thank-you." Ruby took off her fleece vest and proudly put on her new hoodie.

"And, Ruby. It is with great pleasure that I bestow this upon you. We're so glad to have you safe and sound and back with us. You excelled at your undercover job and brought the perp to his knees. You truly are a treasure to us and a valued member of our department."

Walt handed Ruby a small velvet-covered box. Walt winked at Vic and Ferg, who stood there beaming. Ruby opened the box and found an official Absaroka Sheriff's Department badge inside. "Oh, Walter," Ruby said, with tears falling down her face. "It's beautiful." She ran her finger across the top of the badge. "Does this mean that I can park wherever I want to now?" she asked. Her eyes twinkled with mischievous delight.

"Sure, Ruby. Just watch your speeding though," Walt replied with a grin, giving Ruby a huge hug.

After a bit of chatter, everyone returned to their desks, eager to get back to work on less dramatic cases. Walt sat down at his desk in a reflective mood, happy to have everyone safely back together again. He took a moment for himself before he sorted through the pile of mail that Ruby had left for him. He looked out the window and then almost choked on his coffee when he looked at his desk. There, sitting next to his favourite photo of Cady, was a framed photo of himself sporting the moustache.

He smiled to himself at the thought that maybe things were going to work out. He was also comforted by the thought that Martha would probably be pleased that he was finally able to move forward with his life, particularly with Vic by his side.


End file.
